And the Bradley Beal dream is officially over, with the Wizards trading for Okafur and Ariza they are in full on "save Ernie Grunfield's Job!!!' status and will almost assuredly be taking Beal to trot Nene, Okafur, Ariza, Beal and Wall (such a better team than last year, christ) out there.

That said, MKG is now realistic and even though Beal was a far better fit for what the Cavs needed that's kind of exciting.

John Wall isn't going to know what to do with himself not having to deal with Javale, Blatche, Shard, Nick Young, et al anymore. I bet he's crying right now.

Yep. I think realistic Hornets fans don't expect a D-Will caliber guy to come aboard this year anyway with the only bait being Eric Gordon and the promise of what Davis can be, but it opens us up for alot of other quality FA's.

Wizards front office is just trying to live year by year and not get shit-canned. Plain and simple, no plan for anything past tomorrow.

"Dammit you piss me off. I f#ckin hate you and I hope you f#cking get killed by a rabid polar bear you douche bag."

e0y2e3 wrote:And the Bradley Beal dream is officially over, with the Wizards trading for Okafur and Ariza they are in full on "save Ernie Grunfield's Job!!!' status and will almost assuredly be taking Beal to trot Nene, Okafur, Ariza, Beal and Wall (such a better team than last year, christ) out there.

That said, MKG is now realistic and even though Beal was a far better fit for what the Cavs needed that's kind of exciting.

John Wall isn't going to know what to do with himself not having to deal with Javale, Blatche, Shard, Nick Young, et al anymore. I bet he's crying right now.

Also, Blatche is going to be a FA now... LET THE BIDDING BEGIN!!!!!

It's funny. My biggest hope for the Cavs after the lottery was to somehow get MKG. It seemed unrealistic at first. But as time has gone on, and I have read more, I have been all in on Beal. Now it seems he might be unrealistic for us and MKG is realistic... and I should be thrilled. I don't know, I just want some offensive punch for the Cavs.

"The nose of the bulldog has been slanted backwards so that he can breathe without letting go." -- Winston Churchill

e0y2e3 wrote:Beal is 100% the better "fit" no matter how you feel about MKG.

That said, Kyrie and MKG could be EVIL in transition (and TT if he could develop hands, instincts and awareness)

They are saying the draft is deeper than usual in two guards. If we get MKG at 4, and can slide up to get Ross from Washington, I would feel good. There are some pretty serviceable bigs that should be available at 24 as well.

"The nose of the bulldog has been slanted backwards so that he can breathe without letting go." -- Winston Churchill

e0y2e3 wrote:Beal is 100% the better "fit" no matter how you feel about MKG.

That said, Kyrie and MKG could be EVIL in transition (and TT if he could develop hands, instincts and awareness)

Stupid question of the day but does this make it more possible that the Cavs get neither guys? I was pretty much on board with either Beal or MKG making it to 4. Now I'm worried this makes it more likely that neither do.

I think you've convinced me that Beal will be the better player on offense and certainly the best guy to start building a team around but I still thought MKG would be a better fit long term with Kyrie. His ability to play D against almost any position in addition to having the potential of being a main scoring option gives you the possibility of a Lebron lite late in games - which is where Kyrie shines anyway.

If this roster didn't have the biggest offensive black hole front court combo in the league I would be more pro-MKG, but truthfully without Jamo they have literally no one that can score/shoot, hence making Beal the better fit.

I wouldn't say one or the other of MKG/Beal will be the better long term fit, as you are right that MKG has the potential to be a perennial first team all NBA Igoudala style defender/player, which is a pretty awesome thing to have as your #2/3.

And the more and more I read the more I see that Charlotte is 100% sold on Biyombo and really, really wants to pair him with T-Rob to get the offensive/defensive/boarding thing going.

Right now my guess is that MKG is coming to Cleveland, which of course means Grant will take Barnes and I'll light myself on fire.

e0y2e3 wrote:I'll be pretty happy when LBJ finally wins a ring so I NEVER AGAIN HAVE TO HEAR THE GAWD DAMN CHOKER/CAN'T WIN THE BIG ONE NARRATIVE.

To be fair, I don't hear that argument except for here. Otherwise, all I hear is Cowheard complaining about everyone attacking LeBron and saying he's a bad player, which is not something I've ever heard anyone say.

e0y2e3 wrote:I'll be pretty happy when LBJ finally wins a ring so I NEVER AGAIN HAVE TO HEAR THE GAWD DAMN CHOKER/CAN'T WIN THE BIG ONE NARRATIVE.

To be fair, I don't hear that argument except for here. Otherwise, all I hear is Cowheard complaining about everyone attacking LeBron and saying he's a bad player, which is not something I've ever heard anyone say.

I'll be happy to not hear that defense of a strawman ever again.

I don't know, dude. I've heard that shit everywhere.

And he did kind of earn it. Not to the level that it's out there, but yeah. Not this year though, apparently.

e0y2e3 wrote:I'll be pretty happy when LBJ finally wins a ring so I NEVER AGAIN HAVE TO HEAR THE GAWD DAMN CHOKER/CAN'T WIN THE BIG ONE NARRATIVE.

To be fair, I don't hear that argument except for here. Otherwise, all I hear is Cowheard complaining about everyone attacking LeBron and saying he's a bad player, which is not something I've ever heard anyone say.

I'll be happy to not hear that defense of a strawman ever again.

I don't know, dude. I've heard that shit everywhere.

And he did kind of earn it. Not to the level that it's out there, but yeah. Not this year though, apparently.

Fair enough.

And for the record, I hate LeBron. I just think he is also a very good player. And by very good, I mean a once in two or three generational talent. But I also think he quit on the Cavs and for that he can go die in a fire

e0y2e3 wrote:And the Bradley Beal dream is officially over, with the Wizards trading for Okafur and Ariza they are in full on "save Ernie Grunfield's Job!!!' status and will almost assuredly be taking Beal to trot Nene, Okafur, Ariza, Beal and Wall (such a better team than last year, christ) out there.

That said, MKG is now realistic and even though Beal was a far better fit for what the Cavs needed that's kind of exciting.

John Wall isn't going to know what to do with himself not having to deal with Javale, Blatche, Shard, Nick Young, et al anymore. I bet he's crying right now.

Also, Blatche is going to be a FA now... LET THE BIDDING BEGIN!!!!!

It's funny. My biggest hope for the Cavs after the lottery was to somehow get MKG. It seemed unrealistic at first. But as time has gone on, and I have read more, I have been all in on Beal. Now it seems he might be unrealistic for us and MKG is realistic... and I should be thrilled. I don't know, I just want some offensive punch for the Cavs.

That's what over analysis will do to you, OD.

The Cavs WILL have a shot at a very good player, particularly if TR goes before us.

Now they MAY choose Drummand....

Still happy with MKG or Beal. Less so with Barnes butt not swinging from the shower rod. All have flaws but the flaws could be corrected for MKG & Barnes, but Beal is wysiwyg. Still, Beal is a poor man's Ray Allen to me.

Whoever we pick, we're still gonna be shitty enough to have top 6-7 lottery odds again next year, right? With Davis off the board, that's our only chance to compete long term. In fact, we probably need two more good drafts (and Kyrie still wanting to stay after his rookie deal, but it's pretty rare for stars to leave at that point).

If Grant were smart, he'd be making cap/free agent decisions with 2014-2015 in mind and not setting us up to be a perennial 7 seed. As far as our draft pick, all this talk about fit is way overblown. We stink. BPA, all day every day except for point guards.

"Well then I guess there's only one thing left to do...win the whole, f***in', thing."- Jake Taylor

rebelwithoutaclue wrote:I'd love either MKG or Beal but I'd rather have Beal just on the off chance they can also grab Quincy Miller with their other 1st, to play SF. Kyrie, MKG, and Miller would be scary.

To be honest, i could give a fuck if they take MKG with the #3 (and that's my #1 choice, with Beal a #1A) if Quincy Miller is available at 24, i'll happily take him. (Unless Hansen/Zeller are available, then there's pause) Can find serviceable shooters in F/A that will play here, get your scoring big next year, and go ball.

Unfortunately, i'm left praying MJ takes Barnes off the board so I don't have to sweat bullets.

Check me out at Dawgsbynature, where I write stuff, or @twitter as Josh Finney.

Kingpin74 wrote:Whoever we pick, we're still gonna be shitty enough to have top 6-7 lottery odds again next year, right?

Probably not. There are some horrendously bad teams and plenty of owners who don't mind watching their team throw away a season. The Cavs were 11-16 when Andy got hurt and only a few games behind the Knicks for the 8th spot. If the Cavs nail the pick and get some front court depth with the other first rounder they'll arguably be in better position than a lot of teams out there. Particularly if Kyrie continues to improve. I would think they'd be closer to the 10-12 range than 6-7.

Even if they don't nail that pick and end up with Barnes or Drummond as long as Kyrie is healthy those kinds of raw talent/no BB skill guys might still be able able to play well enough to get this team into the dreaded middling range of mediocrity.

e0y2e3 wrote:I dunno RK, I see a far more balanced league next year (hell, the Wizards are now officially in 8th seed or die mode).

Teams like GS, etc, will be better than the Cavs (if Steph ever gets healthy), etc.

This team is easily in that 6-10 range next year with zero shot at the playoffs. The lack of offense on this roster is appaling on a level only matched by the Cats.

And Washington might get that 8 spot because so many teams aren't in that mode.

I agree the Cavs have zero shot at the playoffs and don't expect Grant to do anything that will change that. And the difference between the worst 5 teams and the next 7 isn't exactly vast. But the Cavs were seperating themselves early in the season from the bottom rung because they were able to beat teams that wanted their game against the Cavs to be a game off. That, to me, is what seperates lotto teams from the truly sucktackular with the just plain sucks and it's more a product of coaching and Kyrie then anything to do with overall talent.

Maybe you're right and the NBA as a whole will be better next year keeping the Cavs from improving much but I'm way too cynical about the NBA as a whole to buy that. I also think Grant will get enough from FA on the cheap for the bench whoc can provide more offensive production if they get minutes with Kyree and whoever gets picked at 4. Just enough to close the gap of talent between other lotto teams that the coaching and closing ability of Kyrie keep the Cavs in the middle. I saw how Kyree helped the d-league guys elevate their game and have to imagine a lot of FA's will be able to get a similar boost playing with him.

But if it's Irving, Gee, MKG, TT, and Andy starting next year with the d-league coming off the bench they would definitely be my favorites for a bottom-5 finish.

Beal isn't really undersized. Most of the SG's in the league are 6'6 or shorter. Joe Johnson's the only guy that sticks out in my mind who might give him trouble with his size, and his best years are clearly behind him.

e0y2e3 wrote:I dunno RK, I see a far more balanced league next year (hell, the Wizards are now officially in 8th seed or die mode).

Teams like GS, etc, will be better than the Cavs (if Steph ever gets healthy), etc.

This team is easily in that 6-10 range next year with zero shot at the playoffs. The lack of offense on this roster is appaling on a level only matched by the Cats.

And Washington might get that 8 spot because so many teams aren't in that mode.

I agree the Cavs have zero shot at the playoffs and don't expect Grant to do anything that will change that. And the difference between the worst 5 teams and the next 7 isn't exactly vast. But the Cavs were seperating themselves early in the season from the bottom rung because they were able to beat teams that wanted their game against the Cavs to be a game off. That, to me, is what seperates lotto teams from the truly sucktackular with the just plain sucks and it's more a product of coaching and Kyrie then anything to do with overall talent.

Maybe you're right and the NBA as a whole will be better next year keeping the Cavs from improving much but I'm way too cynical about the NBA as a whole to buy that. I also think Grant will get enough from FA on the cheap for the bench whoc can provide more offensive production if they get minutes with Kyree and whoever gets picked at 4. Just enough to close the gap of talent between other lotto teams that the coaching and closing ability of Kyrie keep the Cavs in the middle. I saw how Kyree helped the d-league guys elevate their game and have to imagine a lot of FA's will be able to get a similar boost playing with him.

But if it's Irving, Gee, MKG, TT, and Andy starting next year with the d-league coming off the bench they would definitely be my favorites for a bottom-5 finish.

The only problem with that starting 5 is that you have the same guy at the 4 and the 5, and defenses will be able to freestyle because neither frontcourt option can score.

Put a Stretch 4 or a 5 that can score in there, and I think you're basically average.

Check me out at Dawgsbynature, where I write stuff, or @twitter as Josh Finney.

Losing Jamo is going to be a HUGE blow to this team, especially if they end up with MKG instead of Beal.

And I still think you are vastly underrating the league on the whole due to your familiarity with the East, the East sucks, but with Dewey still around, Washington getting better, Toronto getting better.... there are a lot of meh to bad teams that just aren't "TERRIBLE."

You're not this stoopid. The Magic let Dewey fire his GM and one of the top three coaches in the league because Dewey went behind the scenes and demanded it. He may very well end up traded, but they gave him final approval in all hires and that was reported everywhere once he ran out a freaking genius like SVG.

e0y2e3 wrote:You're not this stoopid. The Magic let Dewey fire his GM and one of the top three coaches in the league because Dewey went behind the scenes and demanded it. He may very well end up traded, but they gave him final approval in all hires and that was reported everywhere once he ran out a freaking genius like SVG.

Lee, think it through. It make so sense at all profile - wise to be as you say.

BTW: profiling a GM on where he works as an assistant is about as stoopid a thing as you have ever done. Ferry was a huge player in the Spurs front office, he certainly brought that same mentality to Cleveland.